Final live card at SRW before Old Home Week goes Sunday

Sunday afternoon is the final live program at Summerside Raceway before the Old Home Week break.

The baker’s dozen (13 races) matinee affair opens up at 1 p.m.

The Premier’s Pace Series gets underway on Sunday afternoon, with two divisions going in the opening leg.

First division

The 2014 Governor’s Plate champ, D Gs Camme, is back in Summerside after destroying his competition in the plate.

D G’s Camme’s eight-length victory is one of the largest margins of victory in Governor’s Plate history. Sunday’s race should be a walk in the park for the Gilles Barrieau mount.

Oh, I forgot to mention, he’s also the fastest pacing horse to circle Summerside Raceway in 1:53 flat.

Machinthesand has the ability to throw in a 1:55 mile, because time and time he has done it. This horse won his last start in 1:56.1 in preferred company, and for those of you that don’t know, that is the very best class of horses on the Island.

The second quarter of the race was a ridiculously slow 31 seconds with no penalty. There’s no jurisdiction in harness racing that doesn’t address this, but in my opinion, and a lot of others, this is an infraction. Go figure!

Second division

A nine-time winner this year, Red Rock is a solid choice in the second division of the Premier’s Pace Series.

He inherited his Governor’s Plate elimination win in 1:55.1, and ended up third in the Plate final, pacing in 1:54.4. He was roughed up over in Truro, but still made an excellent account of himself finishing second, pacing his own mile in 1:54.2.

Jason Hughes trains and drives this fella for the Vernon Bridge crew, and is a deserving favourite. Hughes had his best season ever last year, and is poised to better those numbers in 2014. Good luck!

Golden

I had the opportunity to meet Olympic hockey gold-medallists, John Tavares (New York Islanders) and Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche) in Charlottetown on Thursday night. The Team Canada members, with the assistance of Red Shores manager Michael MacKinnon, found their way to the booth.

It was indeed my pleasure to meet two of the NHL’s elite players, and of course I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell both of these fine young gentlemen how good they would look in Montreal Canadien jerseys.

You just never know who is going to show up with Old Home Week just around the corner.

The War Horse

Harness racing’s all-time money winning war horse, Foiled Again, is as close as can be to arriving in Charlottetown for the Gold Cup and Saucer.

The old rumour mill is in full swing saying that Cassie Coleman was game to bring something to the Island. When I chatted with her at the O’Briens, she was saying that Vegas Vacation would be her choice.

But there’s news this week that Vegas Vacation is on the shelf, and wouldn’t be making the trip to Charlottetown. Ms. Coleman has plenty more like him worthy of a Gold Cup and Saucer appearance. Don’t count her out.

Chris Oakes has a horse in 1:48 and a piece that was interested in the Cup and Saucer, and don’t forget about Rene Allard, who caught Old Home Week fever a few years ago and this year has several sub-1:50 winners in his barn. We’ll all know by Tuesday. . . can’t wait!

Picks

A look at Sunday's picks:

Best bets – Makes Me Stupid in Race 6, and D Gs Camme in Race 9.

Long shot possibilities – Send Me A Sign in Race 4, and Full Of Finesse in Race 6.

Vance Cameron is the track announcer in Summerside and Charlottetown. Comments and suggestions can be sent to jpsports@journalpioneer.com.

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